Jul042008

Windows Home Server: Slipstreaming unattended installation DVD

Gamer over at WGS forums written a complete walkthrough on “how to create your own slipstreamed Windows Home Server installation DVD or USB drive?”. Making a slipstreamed Windows isn’t as hard is it used to be. Looking at the finished tutorial it looks like a lot of work, but it really isn’t! Personally I think it will save you time if you ever need to re-install your server and best if all it does what it should do: an UNATTENDED install.

Setting Things Up: First of all, I recommend you follow this guide EXACTLY to the letter so there won’t be any misunderstandings. You should read through the tutorial entirely before starting and familiarize yourself with the process. Once you have started, I strongly recommend NOT TO READ OR JUMP AHEAD! You’ll lose focus on the things at hand and surely screw things up. It’s really not that difficult, maybe a bit complicated at times, but if you stay focused on the steps and pictures you’ll eventually get there. For people who have experience with slipstreaming Windows this shouldn’t be too hard. This guide is aimed at people who have never done a slipstream before.

Create a folder called WORK on your C:\ drive. This is our work area.

Copy your DOS drivers folder into C:\WORK, and rename it to DOS.

Make a folder in WORK called WIM, and copy the file cdrom:\SOURCES\BOOT.WIM from your WHS Disc to the root of C:\WORK

Make another folder in C:\ called FINAL and copy the CONTENTS of the folder cdrom:\SRV_2003 to C:\FINAL. This is going to be the new WHS installer, replacing your old WHS DVD.

Download the Windows AIK and burn the ISO or mount it with your Virtual Drive.

Insert the burned CD-ROM and you should now see the Welcome to Windows Automated Installation Kit window appear. If autorun is turned off then navigate to the CD and execute STARTCD.EXE

Select Windows AIK Setup and change the install dir to C:\WORK\AIK.

Download GImageX and extract it to C:\Work. The extracted file makes a folder called Install. Rename that to GImageX to keep things clear.

Download the Self-extracting archive of nLite and install it to C:\WORK\nLite.

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Deepak Gupta is a IT & Web Consultant. He is the founder and CEO of diTii.com & DIT Technologies, where he's engaged in providing Technology Consultancy, Design and Development of Desktop, Web and Mobile applications using various tools and softwares. Sign-up for the Email for daily updates. Google+ Profile.